The Loved One
by peut-etre-poulet
Summary: Spoilers: THEATRICALITY - Quinn/Finn; Quinn goes to Finn's house to return the baby blanket he presented to her nine months ago.


**Title::..**The Loved One  
**Spoilers::..**_Theatricality_  
**Rating::..**G  
**Genre::..**Fluff  
**Characters::..**Quinn, Finn and Beth  
**Pairing::..**Quinn/Finn  
**Author's Note::..**Quinn/Finn fluff, this is a nice fluffy piece about them getting back together and being kinda parents again. I was watching _Preggers_ and there was Finn being all sweet and giving Quinn his baby blanket, which he calls his 'gee-ge' (I re-watched the episode and turned on the subtitles just to be sure) and I started to think about what happened to that blanket after that lovely scene. I'm not a big Quick fan, so Puck is completely cut out of this fic.  
The title comes from the song of the same name, which was covered superbly by INXS and I've included some of the lyrics in the summary. Perhaps you can imagine Quinn and Finn singing a duet of it, while being all lovey-dovey :D  
**Summary::..**_I've known you well, and if you want to stay that's alright, _Quinn goes to Finn's house to return the baby blanket he presented to her nine months ago.

* * *

Quinn held the baby blanket in her hand for what must have been the thousandth time. Ever since Finn had given it to her she had considered it her most valuable possession. Finn's 'gee-ge'. Not knowing where it was led to a panic attack. Then when she did rediscover it she would run her fingertips all over the material as if experiencing it for the very first time.

What she held in her hands wasn't simply a piece of 16-year-old cloth. It summed up Finn's enormous heart. For sixteen years of his life he had clung to this as tangible proof of his father's existence. Then when he had innocently transferred it into her hands he was emulating the father he had never known and expressing his optimism that they could (somehow) be parents.

She had laid it out on the pillow beside her head as she had laid down to go to sleep with the baby growing within her in secret. The day her father kicked her out was looming (she had known it was going to happen before Russell had opened his mouth to say the words) and looking at the blanket had given her hope Finn really wanted to take care of her and her baby.

Living with Finn and his mom in their one bathroom house had hardly been enjoyable; she would find herself frustrated with Finn too often. Most of the time it was easier to sit in her temporary room staring at the 'gee-ge' and thinking about the boy who had handed it to her rather than actually spending time with him.

It was one of the first things she had packed when removing herself to Puck's house. She hadn't had a second thought when putting it into her bag amongst her clothes. At that point in time she had thought of it as her possession. Later she would hold it close to her chest as she was kept awake by Puck's music pumping through the wall that separated their rooms. She had longed for Finn's chivalrous ways, missing his sweet kisses and the way he had held her as if she were breakable.

Now she was stopped from unpacking her clothes into Mercedes' spare room. She sat down, turning the blanket over in her hands. The way the material moved against her fingertips was familiar, comforting. A few moments later she folded it and placed it aside. It didn't belong to her, she had stolen it. Finn didn't belong to her in this way anymore. She felt it was time to cut the ties.

She exited the bedroom with it folded between her fingers. "I'm gonna take a walk, go and see Finn. I should only be gone for like an hour."

"My mom could give you a lift if you like." Mercedes offered.

"Thanks but it's okay, I wanna get out into the fresh air." Quinn replied. "I'll see you later."

* * *

All of the anger Finn had built up towards Quinn over the past months melted away. She gingerly handed the blanket to him, keeping her eyes down. His fingers brushed against hers as he took it, handling it as carefully as if it were glass that could easily slip from his hands, shattering on the floor. He had practically forgotten about giving it to her.

They stood opposite each other in his tiny room. He unfolded it, concentrating on how warm it was. He blinked away the tears which threatened as he remembered standing in the corridor, giving it to her. He tried not to think of how he had wanted to raise the baby with her, he had been so hopeful.

"Thanks." He cleared his throat, forcing himself too look at her. "Thanks for bringing it back."

"I shouldn't have kept it in the first place." She tossed her hair out of her face as she looked up at him.

He was struck by her delicate features as her eyes locked on his. He thought about wrapping his arms around her and kissing her but all he could do was stare. She had lied to him and he had hated her for treating him in such a way. Looking at her now the hate was a distant shadow. He knew why he had believed her in the first place.

She took a few steps back, averting her eyes. Her hands rested on top of her baby bump as if it had always been there. She was looking at the walls. "You must've really liked cowboys when you were a kid."

He shrugged. "I can't really remember."

She bobbed her head, turning her eyes away again. He forced himself to turn away as well. Quinn Fabray – his first girlfriend, the provider of his first kiss, the supplier of his first broken heart. He found himself remembering her smooth hair running through his fingers and how her laughter had always been so genuine, always prompting him to laugh. He thought about her too often and soon the words were spilling from his lips before he could stop them.

"I miss you Quinn." He waited, holding his breath, for her response. When the silence stretched on he released the breath in a disappointed sigh. Why was he such a pussy? "Damn it."

"Finn." Her voice was concerned and when he turned around he instantly understood why.

"Are you having your baby?" He asked as they both stared at the darkened patch of carpet between her feet.

She was leaning against the wall with her teeth grit against the pain. Her eyes had become glassy with tears. Her chest rose and fell quickly. She looked to him as her hands clutched at her round stomach. "Finn, I'm scared."

He could count on one finger the amount of times she had said those words. He went to her side, rubbing her shoulder reassuringly. "It'll be okay. Let me just get my mom…" He had only taken one step away but she latched on to his hand. When their eyes locked he saw how truly vulnerable she was in this moment.

"Please, don't leave me." She panted.

"No, I won't." He replied, shifting his hand into a comfortable mould against hers. "It's gonna be okay Quinn, it'll be okay."

* * *

Quinn lost track of the rest of the world as she stared at the face of her child. She was transfixed by the little button nose and Beth's soft pink lips moving over words that wouldn't be formed for another few years. She couldn't take her eyes away, this life that had lived inside of her for nine months was no longer an idea, it was a real and very tangible person.

The glass wall allowed Quinn to see Beth but no longer touch her. Quinn supposed this was for the best. The more time she spent with Beth the more she would learn about her daughter and an attachment would undoubtedly be formed. It was a clean break. They had shared the beautiful first moment and she could keep that for as long as she liked without infecting Beth's life.

She had kept this life safe inside of her for almost a year. Now Beth was separate, a being of her own. There would be other people taking care of her. For now it was the doctors at Lima Base Hospital. Then it would be a loving adoptive family. The responsibility was no longer Quinn's. The weight was taken off of her shoulders. She was yet to feel relief.

Finn exhaled slowly and loudly, reminding her of his presence. "You were amazing Quinn."

She smiled, a compliment, it washed over her and she cast a sleepy smile in his general direction. "Thanks."

"No really, there's no way I could've done that." He told her.

She laughed lightly. "You didn't need to tell me that, it's a worldwide known fact." He chuckled as well. Her eyes drifted up and she saw herself in the faint reflection. The girl who looked back at her was so different from the cheerleader who had chugged down so many wine coolers. "I still love you Finn." Not everything had changed about her.

"Me too." He said.

She checked over her shoulder. His eyes were fixed on the ground and she found it easier not to look at him as such intense emotions manifested. "I wanna be your girlfriend again…but I wanna do it properly this time."

When she felt his hand wrapped around hers she closed her eyes, smiling with relief. She no longer had her baby but she wasn't alone. She slipped her fingers through his as they stared at the baby they would never know.

**The End.**


End file.
